Morocco is resolutely committed to the establishment of a national merchant marine fleet, a major project supported by the High Royal Directions. Since the launch of this strategic initiative, the Moroccan authorities have worked to provide the country with a strong and competitive commercial fleet, in line with the Kingdom’s ambitions to position itself as a major player in international maritime transport.
The Kingdom is in the process of defining an ambitious roadmap for its maritime sector. Thanks to the Royal Impulse and the coordination of government efforts, the process was initiated with the commissioning of a strategic study entrusted to the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), more than 14 months ago.
A meeting was held on January 16, 2025, in Rabat to take stock of the progress of this study, in the presence of the ministers concerned, namely Abdessamad Kayouh, Minister of Transport and Logistics, Nizar Baraka, Minister of Equipment and Water, Ryad Mezzour, Minister of Industry and Trade, Leila Benali, Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, and Karim Zidane, Minister Delegate in charge of Investment, Convergence and Evaluation of Public Policies. This project, led by the Ministry of Transport and Logistics, is at the heart of the government’s priorities, in response to a Royal Appeal during the 48e anniversary of the Green March.
The objective of this study is to create a maritime fleet that meets the needs of sustainability, efficiency and competitiveness, ensuring complementarity with the modern port infrastructures of the Kingdom, such as those of Tanger Med, Nador West Med, and Dakhla Atlantic. These ports, already among the most important in the region, will be essential in the development of this new fleet.
In 1989, the Kingdom had 73 ships, but now it has only 17, including 6 for passenger transport and 11 for cargo transport. The latter are all foreign-owned vessels, with 6 oil tankers and 5 container ships. This entire fleet is only able to satisfy around 10% of national needs. This causes a significant loss of foreign exchange for the State, estimated at around $2 billion per year. The bill for maritime transport of imported and exported goods, amounting to $600 million, is included.
Also, one of the priorities of the project is to ensure that the future fleet is in harmony with the requirements of the energy transition and sustainable development. The Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development has thus insisted on the need to guarantee the sustainability of ships, with strong commitments in terms of reducing emissions and respecting international ecological standards.
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In terms of taxation, the government plans to abolish corporate tax to replace it with a flat tax on the tonnage of ships, a model which has already proven itself in other countries. The project also includes the possibility of exploring flags of convenience, in order to facilitate the entry of vessels operating under Moroccan flags while ensuring high standards of competitiveness.
-At the same time, the Kingdom is seeking to attract private investment, particularly from the Emirati private sector, to support the growth of the fleet. The Minister of Transport and Logistics also confirmed the interest of international investors in this sector, proof of the growing confidence in the potential of the Moroccan maritime market.
A vision for 2040
The Kingdom’s vision is to become a key player in maritime transport, not only as a strategic transit point between Europe and Africa, but also in strengthening its presence in the global sphere. In this regard, it wants to increase its maritime connectivity, which has already propelled it to the 20e world rank, with connections to 184 ports spread across 71 countries. In terms of regional integration, the development of this fleet must also facilitate access for Sahel countries to the Atlantic, within the framework of the Atlantic Initiative, a Royal Vision which supports South-South cooperation.
By 2040, the goal is to have a national merchant fleet that is not only competitive, but also capable of supporting regional economic growth. This project is part of a global vision for the development of maritime and logistics infrastructure, aiming to strengthen Morocco’s position as a hub for trade between Europe, Africa and the Americas.
For the success of this strategy, the government plans to strengthen the governance of the maritime sector, by transforming the direction of maritime transport in order to grant it more skills and prerogatives, while supporting the creation of a local naval industry. The maintenance and construction of ships will be at the heart of this strategy, in order to ensure a certain independence and sovereignty for the national fleet.
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